Parents' Guide to

Whaddyado

By Andrea Graham, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 9+

This kids' show looks too much like a PSA.

TV Syndicated Educational 2005
Whaddyado Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

Community Reviews

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age 2+

Based on 2 parent reviews

brz352
brz352 Parent of 11-year-old
January 2, 2011
age 2+

TERRIBLE ADVICE!!

I just watched the episode about CPR on a train. The commentator made a comment giving advice on how to keep rhythm. She said to hum or sing Another one bites the dust. ARE YOU SERIOUS?!?! Can you see the reaction of the victims family member if you started singing Another One Bites the Dust while doing CPR on them?????? This is the worst advise I have ever heard about doing CPR. You are opening yourself up to a serious lawsuit if you follow this advise. This show is bad for any age!! The only reason I gave it a one star is because it is required to be able to leave this review. It is less than a one star!!
aphasiac00
aphasiac00 Adult
January 2, 2010
age 2+

This show provides NO useful information whatsoever. It's horrible.

This show is ABSOLUTELY WORTHLESS. It has the potential to be informative, yet it lazily(?) stupidly(?) avoids imparting truly educational advice at every opportunity. In fact, I think it probably does more harm than good, providing children with a false sense of knowledge without actually giving them any vital survival skills. Here's what I've learned from this disgrace of a show: What do you do if you're lost in the woods? Always have a cell phone so you don't get lost in the woods! What do you do if your kayak gets sucked into a culvert? Know your waterway so you don't get sucked into a culvert! And always wear a life vest! What do you do if you're being carried downriver by swift current? Wear a life vest! What do you do if you have a jet ski accident and your friend is unconscious? Wear a life vest! And don't drive your jet skis too close together! Like I said before, THIS SHOW IS ABSOLUTELY WORTHLESS. Don't let your children watch it.
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What's the Story?

Hosted by Christine Long, WHADDYADO asks young viewers to consider real-life survival situations and moral dilemmas that kids like themselves have experienced. By asking the question \"What do you do?,\" this program seeks to educate kids on how to make good decisions in difficult circumstances. Based on real-life events, the sequences in each episode feature either actual footage or a re-enactment of the situation -- which usually involves a teen between the ages of 13 and 16 -- and offer good advice at the end of each segment. Past episodes have covered everything from what to do if you're being bullied at school to what to do if you're biking and your friend gets hurt.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (2 ):
Kids say: Not yet rated

While Whaddyado is set up like a news program, it feels more like a public service announcement. The series is informative, and it does encourage kids to consider their own plan of action if they find themselves in a similar situation, but it would work better as part of a school program that teaches safety guidelines. The acting is a little over-done, and critical viewers will lose interest fast.

Overall, Whaddyado is certainly a useful program for kids, since it teaches survival lessons and helps kids consider what to do in ethical predicaments. But its format probably won't keep teens interested for long -- there are many more-entertaining distractions on television. Nonetheless, if kids do tune in, they'll get sound advice on dealing with some of life's most difficult moments.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the different situations covered by the show. What would tweens and teens do if they were faced with a similar problem? Questions that could spark discussion include: Who can you talk to if you think you or a friend needs help? What should you do if a friend tells you not to tell anyone about his or her secret?

TV Details

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